OTTAWA - The Ottawa Senators announced today that they have renewed their affiliation agreement with the ECHL’s Elmira Jackals. Elmira will serve as Ottawa’s secondary affiliate and will be the primary affiliate of the American Hockey League’s Binghamton Senators. The 2011-12 campaign will mark the fourth consecutive season in which the Senators and Jackals have been affiliated.

“We’re very pleased to continue our relationship with the Jackals,” said Randy Lee, the Senators’ director of hockey operations and player development. “The close proximity between the cities of Binghamton and Elmira, in addition to the positive relationship we’ve maintained over the last number of years, provides us with the level of support and flexibility we need to have in the best interests of our prospects.”

Ottawa draftees Corey Cowick and Mike Hoffman both spent time playing for the Jackals, as well as in Binghamton, last season.

Playing out of First Arena in Elmira, N.Y., the Jackals have been in existence since their inception as a United Hockey League franchise in 2000. The team is coached by Pat Bingham, who will begin his first season behind the Jackals bench when they open their 2011-12 regular-season schedule on Friday, Oct. 8, at home against Trenton at 7:35 p.m.